Page 26 of I Dated a Retired Hero

He paused, his eyes widened, and then, he started laughing.

Litha kept eating and sighed. It wasn’t. It had rivalled one of the sausages on the platter near her. It was not a small sausage.

Chapter Five

Litha enjoyed her foodand then amused herself by lighting a tray of extreme-proof alcohol with the flick of a finger.

They offered her one, and she took it, blowing the flame out as a lesson to others before she tossed the shot back. She fought the face she wanted to make, but when she grimaced, the men and women watching laughed.

When her head burst into blue flame, everyone gasped. Litha waited until the alcohol burned off and said, “I don’t get along with spirits.”

Midnight leaned back. “So I see. Not a big drinker?”

“Not unless I want to start a forest fire or signal aircraft.” Litha sighed and killed the last of the dumplings on her plate. “Whew. That was a good meal.”

Midnight settled next to her, and a plate was brought to him. They were sitting in front of most of the items, and he started loading the plate.

He had a mound of food that put hers to shame. He set it between them and started eating, forgoing the fork.

“So, what do you do in Aksalla?”

“Textile creator for actives. I have a degree in chemical engineering and a fondness for fabric.”

“Interesting. You made the fabric you are wearing?”

“Yes. That was the reason for my intellectual pursuit. I was tired of ending up naked.”

He smiled. “Worse for you than for me.”

“Sure. I don’t have waves of swooning members of the opposite sex who have all applied blush and lipstick since you arrived. All cleavage is a few inches higher as well. I am guessing that you get around.”

“My blood runs hot.”

“Yeah, I can understand that.”

“You can?”

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